As referred to in the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/590,658 by Pourang Bral, this inventor has discovered that applying electricity and physical stimulation to the vicinity of the injection site decreases or prevents the perception of pain of injection. This inventor has also discovered that physically stimulating the body near the site where electricity is applied lowers the uncomfortable perception of the shock of electrical current passing through the body. It also allows a more comfortable toleration of higher electrical voltages in the vicinity of the injection site. The higher voltage in turn provides a more profound temporary local anesthesia, and therefore, allows a better chance of a more comfortable or totally pain-free injection.
Furthermore, it was discovered by this inventor that post-injection soreness is minimized with the application of electricity to the vicinity of injection site in conjunction with an injection.
In the above mentioned application, I have disclosed a method of obtaining local anesthesia, as well as an injection assisting device, and a mechanized injecting device. It is my aim in the present application to disclose a novel manual skin-puncturing means and a method of using same to effect local anesthesia during procedures that require skin penetration.
Attempts have been made to use TENS electrical impulses along with vibration to effect local anesthesia, as described in US patent application #s: 20050149145 by Coulter, and 20080188779 by Vallero. Use of vibration requires a mechanized apparatus attached to a skin-puncturing means that adds weight and bulk to the means which are not preferred in many instances such as when one is traveling or carrying an automatic injecting device like an insulin pen. An aim of the present invention is to use manual tapping to effect local anesthesia obviating the need to carry a vibrating device.
This inventor has discovered that rubbing the skin before, during, or after applying an electrical current, such as a TENS stimulation, to the skin in the vicinity of the skin puncture site diminishes or prevents the pain associated with the skin puncture. Furthermore, this inventor has discovered that rubbing the skin near the site where electricity is applied lowers the uncomfortable perception of the shock of electrical current passing through the body. It also allows a more comfortable toleration of higher electrical voltages in the vicinity of the puncture site. The higher voltage in turn provides a more profound temporary local anesthesia, and therefore, allows a better chance of a more comfortable or totally pain-free invasion of the skin. In addition, I have discovered that rubbing and applying electricity to the vicinity of the puncture site reduces or prevents the post-op soreness in the area.